'Tis once again a rather guilty Richard Andrew writing to you after not giving you a glimpse into the wonderful world of Pharmacy for so long. It's certainly not been a case of me sitting around in my underwear in a beanbag eating Burger Rings and watching daytime television (though sometimes I relish the thought!) ...it's as usual been the situation of simply being too damn busy to let you know what's going on.

Well ...strap yourselves in as the BIG NEWS is that Pharmacy has finally got distribution into the UK and Europe through highly respected UK distributor Shellshock. This basically means that we can now release directly into the UK and Europe. After years of refining our craft here in Australia - I get the very warm feeling that Ol' Blighty are gonna take rather kindly to the next batch of Pharmacy releases. All the hard work of label partners Andrew Coates from Interstate40 and Darrall Knight from Artem Music in the UK has paid off!

We will be launching our European assault with the now classic Black Cab album 'Altamont Diaries' which has already earned glowing reviews in Rolling Stone (US) and UnCut Magazine (UK) ...with 4 out of 5 stars no less! Got a rather good feeling about this one. Meanwhile, the 'Cab have been hard at work in the studio putting together the much anticipated follow up to Altamont Diaries. Keep an eye on the gig guides for some upcoming Black Cab / Sand Pebbles shows at the Espie on the 3rd and 10th of September.

Meanwhile, a few other wonderful things that have kept me from the rather inviting underpants / bean bag / burger ring / television scenario are as follows ....

Alex Jarvis debut album '6's & 7's' is finally finished and heads off to the 'big house' tomorrow to be turned into lots of little albums ...digipacks no less! and I have to say that there is no other word than amazing or amazing and amazing to describe this album. Other than incredible! The album will be released on the 15th of August and launch details to follow shortly. I just love this album!

Meanwhile, the delightful Tugboat have just finished mastering their second album 'Two Schools of thought' which is a gloriously diverse and dirty slab of delicious pop which has been over two years in the making. Look out for news of this one shortly ...which will be coming out in September.

Meanwhile ...the exquisite second album 'Go Slow' from Silver Ray's Cam Butler will be released in the UK and Europe very shortly through Broken Horse in the UK. Keep an eye on the gig guides for Cam's shows in Melbourne. I've been getting some lovely emails from listener's to Radio National's 'The Deep End' following a fantastic live performance from Cam broadcast nationally a couple of weeks ago.

Keep an eye on the gig guides too for some long awaited (and overdue) live performances from Princess One Point Five following the release of her beautiful debut album 'At Long Last' which was released earlier this year through Pharmacy imprint 'Le De Records'.

...and meanwhile ... far from having disappeared back into the labyrinth of some large general hospital - the very lovable Registered Nurse has finally found the time to pop back into the studio to continue work on the ridiculously overdue follow up to 2004's 'Young Husbands'. With a stack of new songs, the album 'Blind in One Eye' is sounding fantastic already and is scheduled for release in late September. Again, keep an eye out for upcoming shows in the gig guide. Oh, and while I remember - our web laddie has just recently re-jigged the mail list so now there's no excuse to keep you updated on the latest Pharmacy going's on.

Thanks again to everyone for your support and now ....if I could just find that remote control.

Hello there! Only one way to describe this year ....busy, busy, busy!!! ...and loving it! Not content with running myself ragged looking after pharmacy ...i've gone and set up a sub-label off Pharmacy. This delightful little project goes by the name of Le De Records with a website on it's way shortly.

So....upcoming releases on Le De Records are:

B-Dolls (moondust single out now, and album to follow in May) is the collaboration between Matt and Andi from The Mavis's. This stuff is huge fun - a wonderful slab of pure pop ...with a brain!

Princess One Point Five (aka Sarah-Jane Wentzki fom I Want a Hovercraft) is popping out a single on Le De in a matter of weeks as a promo for a wonderful, wonderful debut album due for release in late March. Drop us an email if you'd like a copy of the single ...and of course, the album will be available in store early April. This is a fantastic album and check live news for both the single launch ( at The Empress) and the album launch (at Manchester Lane).

Tugboat are currently in the studio and will be releasing an album through Le De in August 2005.

From the Pharmacy side of the world, the next cab off the rank is the second album from Silver Ray empressario - Cam Butler. A grand, beautiful album complete with 20 piece string section, the album 'Go Slow will be out in March in Australia having already secured a release for this opus in the UK and Europe.

Incidently, Silver Ray returned from their European tour with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds beneath a veritable mountain of amazing reviews for their third album 'Humans' in no less weighty tomes as The Times, Mojo, UnCut and The Guardian. The band are taking a break for a while - meanwhile I'm hoping to secure a European release for thier debut album, the classic 'This is Silver Ray'.

Alex Jarvis's exceptional EP 'Luxury and Denial' continues to receive stacks of airplay in the lead up to the release of his debut album in late May which is currently being mixed by Greg Wales. The 'sensational Alex Jarivs Band' have been playing some corker live shows so keep an eye on the live section as they are well worth checking out.

Grand Salvo is currently putting the finishing touches to his third album amusingly titles 'Death' which will be coming out through Perservence Records before mid-year.

Expect albums from Diving Bell and Registered Nurse this year as well! Struggling once again to find time to complete the thrid Nurse album - but if the creek don't flood (huh! - Melbourne weather) our third album 'Blind in One Eye' will be out in August with a promo EP launch at the Tote in March.

...and last but definitely not least - the mighty Black Cab play their last, last show for the increadible 'Altamont Diaries' on the 22nd of Feb at The Corner with the Delgados. No more Australian shows after that - instead the band will be heading back into the studio to emerge (hopefully) with another outstanding album. In the meantime, 'Altamont Diaries' is already generating label interest in the UK and Europe ....and so hoping to return the the land of beer and sausage later this year.

Well Folks, thanks for your time and support ....oh, and patience for not having updated the news section for quite a while.

I could once again blame alien abduction for the almost criminal delay in updating the news section of our humble little label - but I seem to remember using that same excuse before.

Needless to say that one of the main reasons for the delay is not that there hasn't been any news - it's more a case of the label being so damned busy that this is one the first opportunities I've had to get around to actually sitting down to write something.

I'm not even sure where to start!

Well ...Santa now has a helper! Yes, after attempting to run this whole crazy thing single-handed for the past six years, I'm delighted to announce that Emma Ireland from One Eyed Dog Management has come on board the good ship Pharmacy to help with various tasks, duties and drinking competitions! Enquiries can still be directed to me at richard@pharmacyrecords.com or to Emma at eaze@ozonline.com.au.

Now.... the BIG news is that Silver Ray have been confirmed as the support for Nick Cave and the Bad Seed's European tour in November this year. This fantastic news for the band who continue to recieve rave reviews form the notoriously fickle UK press since the release of 'New Love' in the UK earlier this year. There new album 'Humans' (which by now you should all have a copy of) - will also be released in the UK to coincide with the tour. We all wish them well - and come on down to the 'Ray benefit at the Empress on October the 9th (with Black Cab) to help raise some much needed cash for the tour.

Speaking of Black Cab - their debut album 'Altamont Diary' continues to sell in very lovely amounts and thanks to all for the massive support shown to such a fantastic album. After a series of crazy Melbourne shows, the band are taking a bit of a break before heading up to Sydney in November and it's all looking rather good for some festival shows over summer. We are looking at recording the next album early next year with the plan to head over to Europe in 2005.

The next Pharmacy release is the wonderful 'Seconds' EP from Alex Jarvis which currently having the final spit and polish applied to it and is due for release on the 11th of October. Believe me - it's not quite like anything you've heard before with a full length album coming out early next year.

Othere releases coming up are the next installment from Registered Nurse with a new album 'Blind in One Eye' due for release on the 15th of November. New albums are also under construction from the wonderful Diving Bell and Cam Butler for release early next year.

Well, M'Dear's - it's been quite a year already with a number of Pharmacy acts beginning to make inroads into Europe, where you can buy a sausage at 3.00am and beer is cheaper than milk!

Wish us luck for the rest of the year and thankyou once again for the wonderful support shown to our rather wonderful and unque little label.

Yes, I have broken my own record for tardiness in not having updated this little section for about five months - a record that I hope I don't break again!

Still, I have a relatively valid excuse. For those of you who don't know, I toured the 'Nurse through Europe from October to December last year. Aside from being an amazing experience, I also managed to cart a totally disfunctional laptop around Europe which ended being pretty effective for holding doors open and was a marvellous paper weight ....but a lousy computer! Thus, I had to rely on the wonders of European Internet cafes in which most of emailing time was spent ensuring that the band had somewhere to stay, and avoiding deportation. So, that's excuse number one.

I guess that this is hardly the forum for it, but excuse number two involves returning home only to have my heart absolutely and utterly broken. Still that's life I guess, and I'm only just now (after four months) crawling out of the emotional plane crash and thinking ......what the hell, I've got a label to run here! Well, it's keeps my mind off it anyway.

So there you have it.....apologies dispensed with, I can now get on to what's coming up in the land of Pharmacy.

The next cab of the rank is a wonderful project which goes by the name of 'Black Cab' which will be a joint Pharmacy / Interstate 40 release. Fantastic stuff - kind of a cross between the Chemical Brothers and The White Stripes with raw guitars, live drums and electronics and is loosely based on the notorious Rolling Stones 'Altamont Concert'. The album 'Altamont Diaries' will be out in May and also has various members of the infamous 'Nurse guesting on the album.

Also in late May will be the long awaited third album from Silver Ray. Recorded only last week in one mammoth session - the album promises to be wonderfully raw and loose with that trademark 'Ray musical interplay. Incidently, 'New Love' was released in the UK earlier in the year and has already earned high praise from the the UK music press including 4 out of 5 stars in the much respected UnCut Magazine.

In 'Ray related news - Cam Butler is also putting the finishing touches to what will be an absolutely amazing album to be released in August. We had the pleasure earlier in the week of recording a marvellous 20 piece string section which has laid the basis for for drums and guitar to be added. The word 'symphonic' comes somewhere near describing an absolutely beautiful, powerful album. Needless to say, Cam's been a busy boy of late!

Meanwhile, heartbreak has proved to be a boon for the 'Nurse - with a whole stack of new stuff in the process of being recorded. To capitalise on the small but important splash the band made in Europe with the release of 'Young Husbands', the 'Nurse are looking to release two singles over the next three months (both here and in the UK) with their third alum due for release around September this year. Having played everything we know to death on the European tour, they are looking forward to showcasing a whole set of new stuff in special once a month shows during the year, so keep an eye on the Pharmacy gig guide for details.

Diving Bell have a whole stack of wonderful new music and shows coming up and will hopefully have their second album out this year.

Grand Salvo too keeps blowing me away with his writing and incredible live shows and if I can twist his arm just enough so that he can still play guitar - I'm really hoping to have another album from the curly topped one by the end of the year.

Well Folks, my fingers hurt! Thank you so much for your patience and support over the years and here's too a wonderful year full of tasty music from Pharmacy.

My, my - it has been a while since my last little message, but for those of you who didn't know - I'm currently on tour in Europe with Registered Nurse.

Now from what I can remember, the tour is going really well with a stack of shows played to a rapt response in Germany and Amsterdam ....which is where we are spending a few well earned days off before we head over to the UK and Ireland for another barrage of 'Nurse shows there.

So far Berlin has been the absolute highlight of the tour. It would have to be the world's greatest city where, for example - one can smoke practically anywhere, the buildings, streets and people are amazing and best of all.....beer is cheaper than milk!

Things are looking very good for the UK with the Nurse recently signing to Kennel Records (Regurgitator) and have Europe wide distribution through Pinnacle and......tracks being added to UK radio playlists as I write. Expecting an hysterical (yet muted) welcome when we land in the UK on Monday night.

I have been keeping a 'mental diary' of events, and provided I can maintain some seblence of sanity, I will expand on events when we return to Australia in December after a nice cup of tea and a lie down.

Until then, keep checking on the news section for updates and now I'm off to try and sort out some sort of accomadation for the boys. Anyone have a spare broom closet in London?

Once again forgive my tardiness in updating this little section. In the great tradition of 'Catch 22' - there has been a little too much news for me to find the time to let you know about it.

Anyhoo....let's begin.

Cam Butler's new album 'Crazy Dreams' out NOW! Cam is the handsome face and main dude behind Silver Ray and the album has already gaining a 'shed- load' of airplay in the lead up to the launch in Melbourne on Friday the 5th of September at The tote in Collingwood. The album will also be available online shortly as will a free track in the mp3 section.

Registered Nurse have just snaffled the main support for Interpol @ the Corner Hotel on Thursday the 7th of August....yep....we can't quite believe it either!

The European tour in October is stumbling along like a drunk man on roller skates which is taking up a considerable amount of my rather limited time. At the moment it's a bit like trying to fire an over-cooked pea at a speeding car. I'm waiting on firm confirmation from the 'very interested' noises made by promoters in Denmark and the Netherlands, the German dates have moved to late October and the UK is still 'schwinging in the breeze' for mid November. In other words, after sending out a heap of promo stuff...it's now a matter of hurry up and wait! I'd challenge anyone to find a more difficult and time consuming task than trying to arrange a first time European tour for an (as yet) unknown band. Still, it will be worth it as I still plan to relocate the label to Berlin in late 2004.

Diving Bell continue to impress with a series of fantastic live shows - augmented (I love that word) by their now permanent brass section so keep an eye on the live section for dates.

Grand Salvo is still in Europe and is currently playing a festival somewhere in Finland. Still not sure quite when he is due back ....I can only assume it's once he had thawed out. Needless to say I'm rather looking forward to having him back.

The web address of pharmacyrecords.net has run into a spot of bother. Well, it's my fault really. I went renew it today after it had lapsed for ohhhh, about 9 months, only to find that it's been taken by someone else. But not just anyone, it's been taken by a website dedicated to lots of well endowed people who really seem to like each other. It must be warm too as they don't seem to be wearing much. So, if you are looking for something other than high quality Australian music - go there. Needless to say that richard@pharmacyrecords.net no longer works either. Still, one day I'll be able to look back and laugh....in twenty years or so!

Well my lovelies, that's about it for the moment. Cam Butler's fantastic album will be the last Pharmacy release for this year as I'll be off in Europe for the last part of 2003. However, there will be a stack of new releases from Silver Ray, Registered Nurse, Grand Salvo and Diving Bell in 2004.

Once again I've been off fighting that twelve-headed monster known as 'time management' which has kept me from updating this little section of late. Far from having slain monster, we sat down had a nice cup of tea and agreed that it was about bloody time I updated the news....so here goes:

The magic of mp3 technology has arrived. Yes, good people you can now download up to twelve (count 'em) tracks from the entire Pharmacy roster for FREE! So get those modems workin'.

Diving Bell, as you should know have a magnificent debut album 'Alpine Fantasy' out now. The album launch last week was a huge success - lots of lovely punters, the band were fantastic and the tap-dancer....well, extraordinary! I still don't quite remember how I got home.

Registered Nurse are finally playing another show....it's a while off (Friday 20th June @ The Empress) but worth sticking in your diary...or whatever. The band head back into the studio shortly to follow up the critically acclaimed 'Young Husbands' for a new album scheduled for release in late August. The European tour plans are progressing nicely with the tour scheduled for Sept/Oct this year. The only hitch (as usual) is funding, so anyone with tax problems are more than welcome to throw some money our way. In fact, it's more fun than throwing money at a burning car. Hello Dr Freud.

Grand Salvo returns from a successful run of shows in Berlin and I must say it will be lovely to have him back home. Stay tuned for upcoming Australian shows.

Silver Ray will be taking a short break as Cam Butler prepares for the release of his debut solo album 'Crazy Dreams' in July. Folks, this album is amazing....trust me, I'm a doctor. Seriously though, it's a magnificent piece of work, lots of brass and strings....with that beautiful hypnotic quality.

Well, oh patient ones, that should do you for the moment. I promise not to leave it so long next time.

In the meantime, I've finished my cuppa.....and so it's back to the monster!